Latest Build Available Here!!

All members of the Pioneer's Guild will receive additional rewards: digital copies of TWO of zircon's albums! That applies to EVERY backer at the $25 or higher level. Read all about it here

Dungeonmans in the Press!

Joystiq: "Shepard spent more than nine years in the AAA industry, helping to craft major games such as Quake 4 and Star Wars: The Old Republic... he probably knows a few things about kicking monster booty and telling an intense tale."

RPGFan"It's a great system, because you can either play a classic lightly-armored, agile ranger, or a heavily-armored, mace-wielding ranger. There's plenty of customization freedom to be found, and each class has interesting abilities such as a fighter's charge or a wizard's ice block."

PC Gamer: "What sets Dungeonmans apart, though is the Dungeonmans Academy: every artifact your adventurers find before their inevitable, horrible deaths is stored at the academy ... If you’re eager to dive back into the white-knuckle experience that is the traditional roguelike, go check it out."

Only the strongest Dungeonmens can put down the menace of the Dread Purpleonians!

Dungeonmans is a lighthearted 2D roguelike set in a persistent world of high adventure that grows and evolves as you play. Explore untamed wilds, delve the deepest dungeons, crush terrible and remorseless monsters, and roll around in piles of shiny loot. Currently in development for Windows, the Dungeonmans Summer Preview is available right now for you to play!

Surrounded by monsters deep underground? Perfect!

The game takes a heroic approach to the best features of the traditional roguelike. Dungeons are generated at random, with new twists and encounters down every set of stairs. Combat is turn-based and tactical, with many options for players to use to get themselves out of (or into!) trouble. Character development in Dungeonmans is free-form and player driven. Picking from a large collection of Masteries, you create the hero you want, and send them to go die in a dungeon.

Travel through underground caves to take shortcuts across the overworld!

The combat in Dungeonmans demands smart thinking and clever positioning. As a Dungeonmans (or Lady Dungeonmans) you'll have access to combat abilities that make fighting more than simply trading attacks. Tricks and flashy effects aren't just for wizards any more! Even the simple fighter, sword in hand, has a number of tactics and powers she can use to dash around the battlefield and carve up enemies, or leave her foes confused by a decoy while she prepares to unleash an ambush.

The Dungeonmans Academy

At the heart of the Dungeonmans story is the Academy, an ever-growing bastion of learning that expands and builds upon the success of its graduates. As heroes explore the world, they'll uncover lost artifacts, forgotten lore, and other curiosities that can be used to help the Academy grow. Future graduates will carry forward some of the power and knowledge earned by their predecessors, such as pre-identification of scrolls and potions or a leg up on powerful skills.

Make plain the folly of they who think themselves above the rule of law!

A wide world of adventure, generated just for you! Explore forests and badlands, smash through bandit barricades on the roads, visit peaceful hamlets, and plunder many different types of dungeons.

Excellent character development variety! Use one of the starter classes to get yourself going, or go entirely classless and build however you like. There's always enough rope to hang yourself in Dungeonmans!

Tense, tactical combat that challenges you to make the most of your items and abilities to pull off upset victories against hordes of foes.

The Dungeonmans Academy, which grows according to your heroics and serves as a home base for the great adventures to come. Pass knowledge forward from graduate to graduate and grow ever stronger!

A roguelike experience for everyone! Use the Academy to carry progress forward and soften the blow of permadeath, or cut your teeth on the rock-hard Ironmans mode.

A huge collection of powerful loot and unique foes rendered with colorful, high-quality 2D art. Explore multiple and varied environments built with detailed tile sets from an era where gaming meant high adventure!

From fierce contests across rolling battlefields to tense exploration in the darkest of depths, music pervades the entire tapestry of the Dungeonmans adventure.

The sweeping throwback score and sound effects for Dungeonmans have been created by veteran game composer Andrew Aversa (aka zircon), inspired by the very best RPG soundtracks of the 16bit era. The score even uses the same authentic orchestral sounds prevalent in games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Suikoden II, and many other classic titles.

Don't forget! Any backer at the $25 or higher reward tiers will receive TWO additional albums full of zircon's awesome work. Check it out!

Be the first to see what's out there!

Download the latest version of the Summer Preview and see for yourself: there's already lots of great adventure to be had in Dungeonmans! But the journey's not yet over, and I need your help to get there. I've had a long career as a AAA game developer, and for the last year independent development has been my full time job. Dungeonmans has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and now I'm coming forward with a playable and exciting adventure that I hope will convince you to support the game's completion. When this funding campaign succeeds, here are just some of the things you'll see in the final product:

More secrets, more challenge! Unlock hidden classes, solve the riddles of double secret endings, and face the titanic challenge of a monster-choked postgame that demands top tier play.

Larger, more diverse environments! Stalk through murky swampland and dig for ruins in trackless deserts, each with unique hazards and dungeon types.

More playable races! Stand tall with the courageous Bravians or use the guile of the cunning Salamens. New races provide unique configurations of abilities, style, and gear. It's tough to wear rings when you don't have any fingers!

Explore the wilds and tame the wilderness! Clear out nests of snarling beasts and put villains to the sword, making the way to settle new towns and expand civilization. This growth compliments the Academy, allowing your heroes faster travel and a stronger support network.

I encourage you to play Dungeonmans and see for yourself what adventure awaits on the horizon. Check out the benefits of backing with the Pioneer's Guild and getting first access to future development builds, and see how your input and feedback help make Dungeonmans a better game.

There's nearly unlimited potential for adventure in Dungeonmans, and while I'd love to see each and every one of these expanded concepts in the final game, reaching higher levels of funding will make that task much easier.

$45,000: A mystery class! In addition to the six different classes already in the game, a seventh challenger will show up to bring unique Masteries to the adventure. As with all other classes, you can pick and choose masteries as you please to create the perfect graduate and send him off to die in a dungeon.

$50,000: Expand the Frontier: As the Academy grows and Dungeonmens push out into the wild, you'll be able to create entirely new settlements and guide the way they grow. Even though your heroes may perish, their legacy will live on as towns thrive and prosper thanks to your hard work.

$65,000: Expanded Deluxe Soundtrack: If we reach this level, zircon will record additional music for the game in addition to upgrading the physical copies of the soundtrack to Deluxe editions with the complete score, out takes, and unique arrangements.

$75,000: Linux and Mac versions. Dungeonmans is built with XNA, and while there are excellent alternatives out there, taking Dungeonmans to Linux and Mac requires non-trivial time and resources, especially for a single developer. At this level, I'll have the ability to make it happen.

$90,000: Academy Evolution: Take control of Academy development in entirely new ways! Place classrooms and other buildings in specific locations, taking advantage of bonuses generated by positioning. Lay out roads, plant trees, and build other niceties to create the look and feel that suits you best.

$100,000: The Airship! Take control of a fully functional flying machine to explore all parts of the world as well as face entirely new encounters. Ship to ship combat, with cannons and boarding action, as well as mysterious Sky Castles which contain wonders and dangers far beyond the terrestrial.

Dungeonmans needs your help to be the best game it can be. Play the Summer Preview build, check out the backer rewards, and decide for yourself at what tier you want to support the game!

Keep tabs on the ongoing development of Dungeonmans and get in touch with other players!

Risks and challenges

You can't make a video game on $35,000!

For full scale game development, even at the independent level, that's a modest amount of money to be sure. However, as you can see by playing the Summer Preview, Dungeonmans is quite fleshed out and has a solid foundation on which to build additional content and lay on the polish. This number represents both the cost of future assets as well as business and cost of living for my given situation.

You're Overpromising!

Every developer needs to worry about this, especially when involved in a passionate project that they really enjoy. Working toward this Summer Preview has already given me great insight into the speed at which I can create content, and the tech required to make the content happen. However, games often slip on ship dates, and while that isn't my intent, it may happen. Backers can count on me to be accessible and communicative, as I've shown in the Development Updates on the Dungeonmans website leading to this point.

Post-release Support

This is a trial for any game developer, regardless of size. Players deserve quality customer support and timely patches. It will be difficult to put that hat on as well, but that's what independent development is about! I hope that the frequent updates to the game over the course of the Kickstarter, as well as my responsiveness to feedback, will give you the confidence that I will treat the customers right.

Support this project

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Pledge $5 or more
About $5

NPC: Not everyone has the courage to step up to the rough and tumble life of a Dungeonmans. Someone's got to stock the shops, wander aimlessly near anchors, and stand behind a bar cleaning a mug with a dirty rag. Thank you, NPC. We couldn't do it without you, and we'll mention as much when we put you in the credits.

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Pledge $10 or more
About $10

ADVENTURER: One DRM-Free digital copy of Dungeonmans on all platforms it is released on. Should Dungeonmans end up on Steam, you'll get a key for a Steam copy as well. If you like, you can also submit one line of wisdom to be added to the Wall of Text, the in-game monument to talky tutorials.

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Pledge $25 or more
About $25

PIONEER'S GUILD: Welcome aboard! You'll get the Adventurer reward above, as well as EARLY ACCESS to the Dungeonmans Beta, scheduled to begin sometime before shipping. You'll also receive high fidelity digital copy of the Dungeonmans original SOUNDTRACK. Finally, all PIONEER'S GUILD members can contribute one NAME of their choice to be thrown into the collection of random names for monsters, NPCs, and locations!

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Pledge $40 or more
About $40

DIGITAL EXPLORER: Want to blaze a trail without weighing yourself down with physical goods? As a DIGITAL EXPLORER you'll get all the Guild rewards above with EARLY ACCESS to the Dungeonmans ALPHA, which will is scheduled to begin sometime in the fall of 2013. See features as they are implemented and provide immediate feedback. Find powerful exploits, test monsters to help define their behavior, and marvel at crash after crash. You'll also receive a PDF copy of THE DUNGEONMANS ALMANAC, a combination Academy Yearbook / Dungeonmans Artbook full of both in game information and behind the scenes detail.

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Pledge $50 or more
About $50

TRAILBLAZER: A true Pioneer, you'll get all the Guild rewards above with EARLY ACCESS to the Dungeonmans ALPHA, which will is scheduled to begin sometime in the fall of 2013. See features as they are implemented and provide immediate feedback. Find powerful exploits, test monsters to help define their behavior, and marvel at crash after crash. In addition to the digital soundtrack, you'll receive a glistening physical copy of the Dungeonmans soundtrack as well! Finally, you'll receive a PDF copy of THE DUNGEONMANS ALMANAC, a combination Academy Yearbook / Dungeonmans Artbook full of both in game information and behind the scenes detail.

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Pledge $100 or more
About $100

FRONTIERSMAN: All Trailblazer rewards included. You'll receive a SIGNED physical copy of the Dungeonmans soundtrack, and the DECK OF IDENTIFICATION, a full color physical deck of cards covering all the ferocious beasts to be found in the wild! Picture and vital stats on the front, detailed information about diet, migration patterns, and preferred flavor of Dungeonmens on the back. Hero-saving information at your fingertips!

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Pledge $150 or more
About $150

MANS AT ARMS: All Frontiersman rewards. Work with the developers to design a WEAPON found in the world of Dungeonmans. You provide the name and the details, we'll smooth them out together, then get a fancy sprite made to represent the weapon.

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Pledge $250 or more
About $250

ARMORSMITH: All Frontiersman rewards + awesome HARDCOVER physical edition of the Dungeonmans Almanac signed by the team. Work with the developers to design a 4-piece set of ARMOR, complete with set bonuses. You provide the name, the details, and what you'd like the armor to do, and we'll work it out together. Players will be discover your armor and if they have the right Academy upgrades, be able to store special set pieces for future generations!

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Pledge $500 or more
About $500

BEASTMASTER: All Frontiersman rewards + awesome HARDCOVER physical edition of the Dungeonmans Almanac signed by the team. Work with the developers to design a MONSTER for Dungeonmens to crush! This monster will get thrown into the mix and appear in dungeons based on the location and monster level. Provide the name, the details, we'll work it out together and build a badass monster, including a unique sprite.

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Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

WARLORD: All Frontiersman rewards + awesome HARDCOVER physical edition of the Dungeonmans Almanac signed by the team. Work with the developers to create a MONSTER SQUAD that will work together and attack as a group! Build up to 4 monsters that will appear together in dungeons, overworld encounters, or other appropriate locales. Together we'll come up with art, style, and behaviors that make for a challenging fight. Put your old D&D group back together, sworn to the service of evil!

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Pledge $2,000 or more
About $2,000

SPONSORS LIKE YOU: All Frontiersman rewards + awesome HARDCOVER physical edition of the Dungeonmans Almanac signed by the team. Have an entire CLASSROOM of the Dungeonmans Academy dedicated to you or someone you choose. Work with the developers to decide what feature this provides to the Academy, how it is upgraded, and what it looks like. The end product will be similar to the Alchemy Lab or Library in the preview build. Together we'll decide on custom art and a naming scheme, and you'll have built something that every player can use.

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Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

CHAMPION: All Frontiersman rewards + awesome HARDCOVER physical edition of the Dungeonmans Almanac signed by the team. Work with the developers on having your own HERO and MASTERY built for Dungeonmans. This includes a unique hero sprite, and a Mastery with 3 to 5 powers that we'll build together. Players will be able to weave these skills into their own builds and choose your hero sprite to sally forth towards great adventure.

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Pledge $10,000
About $10,000

DUNGEON MASTER: All Frontiersman rewards + awesome HARDCOVER physical edition of the Dungeonmans Almanac signed by the team. Work with the developers to create YOUR VERY OWN DUNGEON. The look and feel, layout, whether it will be randomly generated or a static encounter in every world. New art, a new collection of monsters, and a unique piece of background music that will complete the experience. We'll do this together, and if you are in the US and would like to travel then we will provide arrangements to get you out here to visit with myself and zircon to make sure we plan everything just right. You will learn first hand about game development, as well as create something that is part of the very foundation of the Dungeonmans adventure.